Blockbuster to offer online game rentals

Still sending discs through the post, though

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Blockbuster continues its struggle to engage with the digital generation, launching a pilot programme to offer a one-stop online rental store for movie and games rentals.

The pilot program, which will be launched during the second half of the year, will allow select Blockbuster Total Access online customers to rent video games, as well as movies, through the post as part of their subscription plan.

With a goal of having the offering available through the US by the summer, the company is launching the pilot as the first step in its plan to make Blockbuster Total Access the only online rental service offering both movies and games.

Movies and games together at last

"We already rent more video games than any other company, store-based or online, in America, so we know our core customer loves games as well as movies," said Bob Barr, Vice President and General Manager of blockbuster.com.

"With this pilot program, we're laying the groundwork for offering Blockbuster Total Access customers easy online access to the movies and games they want, through an integrated subscription offering. Plus, according to their plan, they'll continue to be able to exchange their by-mail rentals both for free in-store movies as well as half-price in-store game rentals."

In addition to more than 90,000 DVD titles to choose from, subscribers in the pilot program will be able to choose an unspecified number of games on the major console platforms, including Wii, PS2, PS3, Xbox and Xbox 360.